Sinker for fish lines



Aug; 6, 1957 R. E. LAWRENCE SINKER FOR FISH LINES Filed Sept 17, 1954 mvmcy Bvla I p12 Ela wren ce .HTTYS United States Patent SINKER FOR FISH LINES Ralph E. Lawrence, Sacramento, Califl, assignor to Raldon Manufacturing Company, Sacramento, Califi, apartnership Application September 17, 1954, Serial No. 456,698 2 Claims. (Cl. 43-43.13)

This invention relates to fishing equipment, and particularly to a novel sinker for use on fish lines.

The major object of my invention is to provide a sinker so constructed that it will normally plane up and over obstructions, and with substantially no line-twisting, spinning, or turning of the sinker when retrieving or trolling.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a sinker which is so shaped that it will tend to slide free of any obstruction which may be accidentally engaged when retrieving or trolling; thus minimizing the likelihood of the sinker being caught by, or entangled in, any underwater object which the sinker may strike.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sinker for fish lines which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved sinker.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the sinker.

Fig. 3 is a transverse or edge view of the sinker, mainly in section, on line 33 of Fig. 1, but with the outer portions of the weight-forming fins being left non-sectioned.

Fig. 4 is a side or face view of the body of the sinker before the fins are mounted thereon.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the sinker comprises a disc-like, relatively thin sheet metal body 1, preferably of circular form, and provided adjacent its periphery with an opening 2, fitted with a ferrule 3, to receive the lower end of the leader, and by which the sinker is normally connected to a line. The opening 2 is therefore at the front of the body.

Mounted on and projecting outwardly from the bodyon opposite sides thereof and adjacent the rear are weight forming members, preferably of lead, and indicated generally at 4 and 4a. Each member comprises a circular base portion 5 abutting the related face of the body 1, and a fin 6 projects out from the base portion diametrally and for the full width thereof; the fins of both members 4 and 4a extending in a front to rear direction of the body 1 in alinement with what may be termed the line axis of the sinker, and which axis intersects the center of the body as well as the opening 2. See Fig. 1.

The fins are relatively thin at their periphery, and such periphery is of substantially semi-circular form, as shown at 7. For strength, the fins are thickened somewhat toward their center and base, as indicated at 8, and curve gradually to a junction with the outer face of their respective base portions 5, as indicated at 9; such outer face of the base portions being flatly convex, as shown at 10.

By reason of this construction adequate weight for sinker purposes is obtained, while at the same time the protruding fins substantially prevent spinning of the sinker in the water about the line axis when retrieving or trolling.

Patented Aug. 6, 1957 Also, the relatively large flat surfaces of the body 1 cause the sinker to plane toward the surface, tending to clear obstructions when retrieving or trolling.

Additionally the smooth rounded contours of the members 4 and 4a, and of the body 1 as well, enable the sinker to slide past obstructions Without catching, during retrieving or trolling operations. The body is made of sheet aluminum or the like and the members 4 and 4a of lead. Since the sinker cannot be formed or cast as one piece, said members 4 and 4a must be separately mounted on the body. This is done without the use of rivets, screws, or the like in the following manner:

A mold of ordinary type is provided with cavities for the pouring of these members 4 and 4a in alined but closely opposed relation. Before the lead is poured, the body 1 is inserted in the mold in the space provided therein between the cavities so as to separate the members 4 and 4a. A pair of holes 11 are provided in the body 1 on the line axis and in position to be overlapped by the base portions 5 when the members 4 and 4a are poured, and body 1 is positioned. in the mold so that its rear edge will terminate short of the rear edge of said base portions.

As a result, when the metal is poured, connections 12-- integral with base portions 5-are formed where the metal flows through the holes 11, and also an integral web 13 connects the portions 5 at the back and rearwardly of the body 1, as shown in Fig. 3.

The two members 4 and 4a are therefore positively joined to the body 1 without having to rely on any adhesion of the two different metals with each other, and in such a manner that said members cannot turn from their proper position on the body 1.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A sinker for fish lines comprising a thin flat body having an element adjacent one edge adapted for connection to a fish line, and weight forming members mounted on the body adjacent the edge thereof opposite said element and being of the same size and weight; each weight forming member including a base portion flatly engaging the body and similar in outline to and of considerably smaller area than said body, and a fin projecting outwardly from the base portion and disposed in alinement with a line projected from the center of said element to the opposite edge of the body.

2. A sinker, as in claim 1, in which. the fin extends substantially the full length of the base portion along said projected line, and the point of greatest projection of the fin from the base is substantially midway of such length of the fin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 165,581 Harris Jan. 1, 1952 D. 166,984 Lawrence June 10, 1952 D. 175,784 Lawrence Oct. 11, 1955 678,669 Keyser July 16, 1901 1,440,869 Foss I an. 2, 1923 1,701,444 Darr Feb. 5, 1929 2,191,607 Chamberlin et a1 Feb. 27, 1940 2,239,802 Westby Apr. 29, 1941 2,499,594 Kulay Mar. 7, 1950 2,543,576 Hutford Feb. 27, 1951 2,660,795 Nordstrom Dec. 1, 1953 

